Page 21 of The Only Road Back

BETH

Jack’s parents are nothing like mine. From the moment we step inside their house—a cozy, sunlit bungalow that smells of cinnamon and fresh coffee—I feel something loosen inside my chest. Warmth radiates from every corner.

It’s effortless, natural, and leaves me aching for something I’ve never truly had.

Linda, Jack’s mom, is a whirlwind in the kitchen: checking the oven with one hand, pouring drinks with the other, her laughter filling the air.

She squeezes my hand, tucks a stray hair behind my ear, and beams at me like I’ve always belonged here.

Jack’s dad, Robert, is quieter but just as present.

He studies me over his mug, eyes soft and kind, his calm mirroring Jack’s.

It’s overwhelming. And it’s wonderful.

I’m not used to this. I grew up with awkward silences, the cold click of utensils, my mother’s disappointed sighs, and my father’s empty stare. I learned to fight for scraps of warmth, to prove myself at every turn.

But here, I don’t have to prove anything. They just like me. The realization is both heady and terrifying.

Linda sets a plate of cookies on the table and claims the seat at my side. “Alright, sweetheart, tell me everything.”

I pause, unsure. “Everything?”

She waves away my hesitation. “I want to hear about you and Jack. How you met. How he finally made a move. All the details.”

Jack groans from across the table. “Ma.”

Linda ignores him, her eyes sparkling. I glance at Jack, who’s already rubbing his temples as if he knows what’s coming. The tension dissolves into laughter.

“Well,” I begin, “I kind of crashed into his world—literally. My car broke down, and Jack came and got me.”

Linda gasps, delighted. “A damsel in distress! Jack, did you sweep in like a hero?”

Jack tries for nonchalance. “Something like that.”

Robert chuckles. “He can’t resist lending a hand.”

Jack lifts a shoulder. “It worked, didn’t it?”

Linda clutches her heart. “A love story born from a broken-down car. It’s practically fate.”

I laugh. “I wouldn’t call it that.”

Linda leans closer, whispering, “Did he woo you properly, Beth? I need to know I raised my son right.”

Jack shakes his head. Robert hides a smirk behind his cup.

I turn toward Jack with mock seriousness. “He did okay.”

Jack’s eyebrows shoot up. “Okay?”

I grin. “You fixed my car, fed me pizza, and let me crash at your place. That’s something.”

Linda gasps dramatically. “Jack Connor, you let a beautiful woman stay at your house and didn’t propose on the spot?”

Jack groans. “Ma, not this again.”

Linda pats my hand. “You’ll have to excuse him. He’s a little slow.”

I can’t help it. I giggle. Jack slumps in his chair. “I have no control over this, do I?”

“None,” Robert says, amusement crinkling his eyes.

Linda squeezes my hand, her voice softening. “Really, sweetheart, we’re so glad you’re here. You’re just perfect for Jack.”

My heart skips. I look at Jack. He doesn’t look away, just holds my gaze, steady and sure.

Suddenly, it hits me. This isn’t just a visit or a passing phase. This is real. I’m not running anymore.

Jack must see something in my face. He slips his hand beneath the table, finding mine and squeezing gently.

I squeeze back, anchoring myself with the certainty of his touch.

Linda catches the moment and smiles but lets the conversation drift to lighter topics. I let myself relax, laughter bubbling up as stories and memories are shared. For the first time in years, I feel a sense of belonging.

***

Later, after the hugs and promises to visit soon, Jack and I drive home in easy silence. My thoughts spiral. Everything feels out of control—fast and bright and terrifying.

As soon as we’re through the door, I curl up on the couch, tucking my knees to my chest. Jack settles in beside me, pulling me gently into his side.

He brushes a kiss onto my temple. “You’re quiet.”

I swallow. “Everything’s moving so fast.”

Jack waits, tracing circles on my arm.

I force out the words. “I was engaged to Clark not long ago. I was trapped. Miserable. Now I’m here with you, and it feels like a completely different life.”

Jack nods. “And that scares you.”

I nod, barely breathing. “A little.”

He shifts to face me, green eyes searching mine. “Beth, I knew you were the one the day I met you.”

My heart stutters.

He caresses my cheek. “I knew it when you sat in my truck, holding back tears but refusing to break. When you organized my disaster of a garage like you’d always belonged. When you kissed me and made me feel like I was flying and falling at the same time.”

My throat tightens.

His voice drops, raw. “Sometimes, things move fast because they’re meant to. When you know, you don’t wait.”

I meet his eyes. “And you know?”

He doesn’t hesitate. “I’ve never been surer of anything.”

The last of my fears crumbles. “Jack—”

He doesn’t let me finish. His lips find mine, fierce and certain, banishing every doubt and shadow.

I gasp. My fingers tangle in his hair, pulling him closer. He pushes me gently back against the couch, his body solid and warm. His hands trace my sides and hips. Possessively. Reverently.

I arch into him, a soft moan escaping as his mouth finds my neck.

He groans, breathless. “Tell me you’re mine, Beth.”

I cup his face, holding him still. “I’m yours.”

His eyes darken, hungry. He kisses me again, deeper, hands sliding under my dress. He pulls away just long enough to help me out of it, his gaze devouring every inch of me.

“You drive me crazy,” he whispers as he unhooks my bra and rips off my panties. “You make me lose all sense. I want to claim every part of you.”

I smile, reaching for his shirt, tugging it over his head. “Show me, Jack. Show me I belong to you.”

He makes love to me on the couch—urgent, intense, everything I never knew I needed. His words are a promise in my ear. “You’re everything. You’ll always be everything.”

In that moment, lost in him, I know the truth.

I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.